Utopia
by the alphabet soup
Summary: With every tragedy there is a blessing, and this rings true with every life. Marina centric.


**Disclaimer:** I don't own Lorien Legacies.

**Title:** Utopia

**Summary: **With every tragedy there is a blessing, and this rings true with every life. Marina centric.

**Pairing:** Navrina

* * *

**uto·pia**

_noun_ \yu̇-ˈtō-pē-ə\

: an imaginary place in which the government, laws, and social conditions are perfect

* * *

The promise of spring hangs in the air like ominous storm clouds, but while the spring is dropping hints of its desperately needed arrival, winter continues to cling to the frustrated people. Although Marina could say she loves both spring and winter in the same breath, she would be lying if she said she wouldn't miss the winter. Something about the way frost forms on windows catches her attention in so many ways. She thinks, death and decay aside, winter is more beautiful than any other season because of the beauty which stems from the cold, frigid air.

Boots sink into the snow as her breath billows out in fog in front of her, and a smile falls on her lips despite her knowing she is definitely going to regret not wearing a scarf later. She isn't known to get sick often, but when she does it's a pain in the ass. Maren would say it's a pain in the ass for everyone, not just Marina, and Stanley would agree with her just to spite her (then Maren would glare at him because his fifth grade crush is both pitiful and annoying). Ella, forever the saint, would be the one to actually care for Marina when the flu rears its ugly head, and Marina would pray the other two were taking notes even though the college students should have more sense than a teenager.

A brief gust of wind blows Marina's brown hair in her face, and with a frown she remembers she had meant to tie it back before she went out. But she isn't about to backtrack so continues on her rather uneventful journey across campus to Maren's dormitory. Technically it's hers, too, but she had been staying with Sarah after her and her boyfriend had temporally split up after some (admittedly stupid) fight they had the week prior. Marina only knew Sarah through Maren, but apparently fights between her and John didn't happen too often. So, since Maren had no experience with helping someone after a breakup (unless you counted punching things repeatedly and blasting music to reflect your inner torment as beneficial) Marina had offered to comfort the girl. As it turned out, Sarah wasn't that terrible of a person.

When she finally reaches her destination, she opens the door with a slight hesitance before she begins her walk up a flight of stairs. Her footsteps echo throughout the building which is unnaturally quiet. She finds Maren's dorm and opens the door to find herself face-to-face with a pissed off Maren who looks at Marina as if she's a gift from God.

"Thank God you're here." She gestures to Stanley who's sleeping on the floor with a lazy grin plastered on his face. "This asshole decided it would be a fine time to get drunk then break into our dorm and trash everything."

"Technically it isn't breaking in if the dorm isn't locked and you willingly let the person in." Marina corrects because she knows Stanley isn't stupid enough to enter their dorm room without permission. Maren sighs.

"Okay, I did let him in, but had I known he planned to get drunk as quickly as humanly possible I wouldn't have. Just help me carry him." And Marina does because she doesn't have the heart to say no.

* * *

"How was staying with Sarah? Is she as bitchy as everyone says?" Even though Maren claims to know Sarah, it's only through her high school sweetheart, Sam Goode, and his information isn't always reliable. Maren's tone isn't rude, though, only curious.

Marina lies on her stomach on the bottom bunk, a book in her hands and a pen tuck behind her ear from three hours ago when she had actually been taking notes for her Psychology class. Maren is sitting cross legged on the floor with a plate of leftover pizza that Marina is certain isn't edible anymore. As rational as Maren usually is, she can make some poor choices regarding what food she deems safe for consumption.

The lamp casts a warm glow on the otherwise dark room and Marina feels as if they're sharing a secret. "She's actually very nice. I know Sam knew her in high school, but whoever she used to be is completely different considering who she is now. How'd you manage without me for three days?"

"I didn't. I had to resort to asking Ella to come over to teach me how to operate the microwave." Marina rolls her eyes and laughs, casting a sideways glance at Maren who grins. "You can laugh now, Marina, but as soon as we're on the run because of the apocalypse you'll be begging me to save you."

"Like you could ever leave me behind."

"Even if you become a zombie I'd end up finding some way to keep you with me." Maren admits. "And Sam would develop a cure and the apocalypse would be stopped, and we'd become rich because of our valiant efforts to save humanity." Maren's voice is so wistful Marina ends up throwing a pillow at her to break her out of her daze.

"I'd hate it, you know. Being on the run because of something trying to eat your brains or whatever. That sounds like the pinnacle of a shitty life. Thank God it only exists in well-developed video games sold worldwide for greasy teenage boys."

* * *

The next morning, a persistent knocking on the door punctures through Marina's dreams, so with a groggy brain she opens the door, half thinking it's Maren because the girl has a tendency to lock herself out when she goes out at night. But when she sees herself face-to-face with Stanley she remembers the previous day. His black hair is tied back and his eyes reflect their usual mischievous quality along with a hint of embarrassment she didn't think was possible for him.

"Hey, beautiful." He winks and she rolls her eyes because she's used to his behavior. It's become just a nickname considering how frequently he says it that it doesn't bother her. In fact, she expects it and becomes worried when he doesn't greet her that way. "Is Maren here?"

"She's sleeping." The light in the hallway causes her brain to wake up faster than she would like and she wonders why Stanley's up at this hour when he could have waited until noon. "I'm guessing this is about the fact you passed out on the floor. How bad was the hangover?" A hint of worry enters her voice and Stanley shrugs as if he chooses not to hear it.

"I've had worse. Tell Maren I'll buy a new carpet."

"What you could do instead is apologize." Marina replies but they both know he won't.

* * *

When Maren finally wakes up at 12:32 pm, Marina suggests they go to the small coffee shop on campus to which Maren agrees, so the two set out on an uneventful journey for much needed caffeinated beverages which they have come to realize are needed to survive in this environment. The snowfall overnight becomes apparent when Marina notices the three inches of snow and ice on the ground, and both dread and childish joy fill her being while Maren lets out a disgruntled noise yet continues to the small coffee shop.

The smell is the first thing which Marina notices when Maren opens the door slowly, as if to make for a dramatic effect, and gestures Marina to go first. The air is heavy with the smell of warm hot chocolate and cinnamon while a hint of roasted coffee beans lingers as an aftertaste. Marina and Maren take their seats at a window table close to the door as if their conversation of the apocalypse still hides within their subconsciousness, and the first thing Marina does is look out the window to admire the view of beyond pissed college students as they make their way through the snow as theatrically as possible.

"How can you stand this weather? All it does is increase your chance of the flu which, might I remind you, has been particularly deadly this year." Maren's voice retains its usual annoyance that only leaves a good two hours after she's had her coffee.

"I like watching the snow fall. It's calming." Marina looks back at Maren who shrugs as if she can't understand her. "Have you been here before yet?"

Maren shakes her head. "It's pretty new. I'll order for you, do you know what you want?" Marina briefly glances at the chalkboard menu which hangs on the wall behind the counter even though she knows what she wants.

"Just a latte." she replies as Maren stands up. While she watches absentmindedly as Maren steps in the surprisingly short line, she feels a vibration in her jacket pocket and a expression of confusion settles on her face as she reaches for her phone which she unlocks with ease. Her eyes rest on the message as she bites her lip in anguish. When Maren comes back with her latte and a black coffee, she tries to fake her happiness despite knowing Maren will look right through her.

"What's up?" Maren asks; Marina diverts her eyes from Maren and looks at the phone sitting on the counter on impulse. She doesn't want to drag Maren back into the matter but she can't let it slide either. Maren's worried gaze finally prompts her to speak in a hushed tone.

"Adelina wants me to come home."

Maren doesn't speak for a few minutes, having become preoccupied with stirring the spoon in her coffee as if it will give her the answer to the dilemma. When she does, her voice is unsurprisingly harsh.

"She was completely wrong in what she did to you, Marina, I know you know that, so she doesn't deserve any second chances. Don't give her the chance to ruin your life again." She puts her hand on top of Marina's so the brown haired girl can't help but give a sad smile.

"If she is trying to change I can't just ignore her…" Her words grow less confident and she looks at her phone with ashamed eyes. She feels Maren's hand tense on top of hers so Marina lifts her gaze.

"You don't owe her anything."

Marina's eyes flick back to the window where it gives the illusion that the outside is more beautiful than it intends to be. "Maybe I wish I did."

* * *

In the dim light of the dorm room, Marina's eyes grow heavy and her chest feels like it's constricting. Her fingertips brush over the phone before she withdraws them against her stomach.

Tears fall down her face slowly, then cascade without a care in the world.

* * *

[] [] []

* * *

Adelina doesn't come.

Maren isn't surprised, but she assumed that the near death of Adelina's only niece would make her realize that now is the time to repair old wounds. As she listens to the sound of footsteps walking as quickly as possible and the strangled sobs of family and friends, she closes her eyes. She feels someone sit beside her and her eyes immediately open again to see an older man sitting there with a strangely pensive expression etched into his face.

He smiles at her. She doesn't return it. "I'm sorry for whatever has made you come here." His voice is a low, melodic sound that reminds her of the ocean as though she is sitting on the shore of one.

"My friend was in a car crash." Her words are coarse sandpaper; she wonders when that had happened to her. "Why are you here?"

"My daughter gave birth recently but there were some complications." Either he doesn't care about his daughter's or grandchild's health, or he is confident both of them will survive, but no matter the reason his tone bothers her. She hears footsteps and looks up impulsively. The nurse is a young Indian man whom she would have asked out on a date had she been living a different life. He smiles at her reassuringly and his green eyes flash, but then he directs his attention.

"Mr. Lore? If you would come with me, please."

After the older man leaves with the nurse, Maren sinks back into the chair and her eyes close to let her mind pretend this never happened.

* * *

It is only hours later than she feels her phone vibrate in her pocket. She doesn't have to check to know it's from Marina's little sister, Ella.

The waiting room feels smaller now, more grim, as the day passes by with every glance she spares at her phone. Her body feels colder from both the temperature of the room and the aftermath of the car crash, yet she doesn't feel uncomfortable.

* * *

[] [] []

* * *

The snow stops falling the next day. Marina's legs dangle on the edge of her bunk and her eyes stare up at the frame underneath the second bunk and imagines it isn't empty. Maren didn't say when she'd be back but Marina knows it will be around 7:35 pm. She had seen Katarina before and knew immediately where Six got her stubbornness.

Warmth fills the room gradually but the cold doesn't bother Marina like it usually would. Instead, she finds it almost a relief considering the phone's weight on her stomach. It's like a disease. With a feeble hesitance, she unlocks it and looks at the last text from Adelina with apprehension - and anger. Her finger rests on the text, ready to delete it when the time comes.

"I can't just ignore her." she whispers to herself to give herself the courage she so desperately needs. Her eyes close and when she opens them she imagines that Maren is standing in the room, admonishing her for thinking about this. She can't let Maren keep dictating her life. She has to be strong for herself. Wasn't that always what Maren wanted for her, anyway?

With a sigh she stands up from the bed and runs a comb through her tangled mess of hair. She pulls on a light blue sweater and shoes, and, before she can think twice about this decision, opens the door and begins walking down the hallway. When she finds herself standing in front of Stanley's dorm room, she takes a breath and knocks three times. Then she waits.

"What?"

Stanley's voice is so disgruntled she manages to roll her eyes in amusement before the door opens. He looks at her with a confused expression but doesn't say anything. Marina briefly wonders if she looks less confident than she intended.

"May I come in?"

"Uh, sure."

* * *

Stanley's dorm room is nothing short of a mess. There is a plate on his bed with three half-eaten pieces of pizza which drops to two when he picks one up and starts eating it. Papers litter the carpeted floor, and she jumps back when she realizes she stepped in something too squishy to not to be a health hazard. In the end, she finds herself sitting cautiously on a chair that just so happens to be the cleanest area in the room, and after a few shaky attempts she spits the story out like it is a disease. He listens intently which she thinks is a first for him, then he says in the clearest voice ever:

"She's a bitch."

It is then that Marina decides maybe coming to Stanley to ask for advice wasn't the smartest idea she came up with. But she knows that deep down (Mariana Trench deep) he does care about her, and maybe his blunt way of talking is what she needs in this type of situation.

"Just forget about her, Marina, and get over it."

"She's my aunt, Stanley, I can't just forget about her." Marina doesn't know where this anger comes from. Maybe it's repressed from what happened with Adelina. Maybe it's because Maren is still so much more amazing than her. Maybe it's because Stanley has a godawful dorm room that needs to be fumigated as quickly as possible.

Stanley just shakes his head. "You can't let her do this to you again. She's going to keep being as bitchy as possible to you, then once you finally get out she'll beg to you come home and the same thing will happen again. Don't let her get to you."

But what Stanley doesn't know is that Adelina already has.

* * *

Maren comes back at 9:00 pm that night with a tin of chocolate chip cookies and a bag of laundered clothes. As soon as the door closes behind her, she practically throws everything in her hands onto the floor and lets out a sigh of relief. "Thank God I'm out of there." She notices Marina lying on the bottom bunk, cradling the phone in her hands as if it's a newborn baby, and without any hesitance sits down next to her. "Do you need a few words of wisdom right now?" she asks and Marina, despite what she's feeling, allows herself to laugh.

"No, I don't think suggesting to have a horror movie marathon is going to help." Maren smiles.

"Actually that wasn't what I was going to say, but now that you mention it…" Marina rolls her eyes, managing to sit up and put the phone on her nightstand where it won't have as much of an effect on her. Maybe Stanley is right. Maybe she should just let Adelina go. Her aunt never had a problem letting her go.

But every time she thinks of doing that it feels like she is betraying her aunt. She feels so utterly guilty leaving her behind even after so many years have passed, and she doesn't know if she hates feeling guilty or angry more. Still, the ache is less painful when she pushed the phone away from her, so when Maren starts rattling off the names of horror movies she has on her computer, she feels a little bit better.

* * *

When Marina wakes up the next morning halfway to the floor and Maren's computer precariously sitting on a stack of textbooks across the room, she knows something is different. Not in the way the room looks like a tornado hit, but there is a tension in the air Marina can't quite describe. Impulsively she looks at the phone on her nightstand, taking it in her hands and standing up in the middle of the room. But when she checks, there are no new messages from Adelina. A part of her is almost disappointed.

"Morning, Marina."

From the way Maren's voice isn't sleepy - isn't even grumpy - Marina knows the black haired girl has been up for a long time. Before Marina can speak, Maren beats her to it.

"Are you okay?"

The question shocks Marina even though she knows it shouldn't. Of course Maren would be worried about her. Of course she would want to know how she is taking Adelina's recent attempts to reconnect. As she runs the words though her head, Marina realizes she doesn't know how to respond. She should say that no, she's not okay because Adelina has been the instigator of so many of her problems her whole life and Marina still wants to believe she's trying to change. She should say that she is still self-conscious around Maren for reasons so stupid she can't even bring herself to admit them.

But she doesn't.

* * *

Adelina doesn't message her again for two weeks. It is both a blessing and a curse. Going back to college allows her to put Adelina at the back of her mind and focus on keeping her grades up. It allows her to be more herself again, and she is thrilled to be able to smile without hiding something.

But it also makes her anxious. She finds herself constantly checking her phone, waiting for Adelina to say something, anything, and being too afraid to text her aunt herself because she still hasn't responded to her.

One day, when Maren comes to their dorm on a Saturday after finishing her homework, she gives Marina a pointed look. "I can hide that for you if you want." Marina shakes her head in an attempt to signify she isn't affected by the lack of messages from Adelina, and she sits on her bunk. Maren sits next to her. "I can help you let go." she offers.

"How would you do that?" Marina's voice is mouser than she intends. She feels a hand move on top of hers, then the hand squeezes hers to mime reassurance. Marina thinks that if Maren had never come into her life she would be a drastically different person than she is now. Sometimes the darker part of her mind thinks she would prefer that Marina.

"I don't know." Maren admits. "You'd have to let me help you before I could try."

They sit in silence for a few minutes, the air stagnant and the only sound in the room their breathing which almost matches. Then Marina speaks because she feels as if this conversation is long overdue.

"You know when you go skydiving and you're full of anticipation before you hit the ground? It's exhilarating. And terrifying." She doesn't know where the skydiving analogy comes in since she's never been skydiving before in her life, but she rolls with it. "This is kind of like that. I'm just waiting for Adelina to say something to me, anything, but I'm terrified of what it will be. I'm afraid that you and Stanley are both right - that if I go back to her the same thing will happen to me again. I want her to be in my life again, but I left because I couldn't stand how she treated me; I knew I had to get out." She pauses to think, to catch her breath, but Maren doesn't speak.

"I know I should hate her for what she did to me, but I can't shake the feeling that she's changed for good this time." Her eyes close, Maren's hand tenses on top of hers, and she wonders why she said this and what it will do in the future.

"You don't owe her anything." Maren says like the day they visited the coffee shop, and Marina finds herself listening. "You will _never_ owe Adelina anything. Tell her that you don't want to see her again. Maybe you're so worried because you haven't told her how you feel about this." Marina looks at Maren as a smile starts to form on her face, and she decides that her gray eyes are more kind than intimidating.

* * *

The next time Marina's phone buzzes a few days later, she doesn't even bother to check.

* * *

Spring arrives with rain.

Marina tells herself not to be surprised because the dark clouds had been present for days, but she still finds herself disappointed when the rain pours down on a Friday night. She had planned on going out but there is no way she is going to walk in the rain, so she wraps herself in blankets, opens a book, and lets the pages absorb her.

The next few hours are lost to her; she is only snapped out of her trance when Maren - who wasn't supposed to return for a few hours - enters the dorm room. Marina looks up, noticing Maren's amused expression. "I've never seen someone so thrilled to read."

Marina rolls her eyes. "You should try it sometime." With reluctance she sits up, letting the blankets pool at her legs and the cool air press against her skin. She grabs the phone on her nightstand and sees two messages, one from Stanley and the other from Maren. "What happened?" she asks without looking up.

"He got in a bar fight. Believe me, you don't want to know." The black haired girl sits at her desk where her laptop sits, booting it up.

"You know, for someone who claims to hate him you sure spend a lot of time with him." Marina can practically see the smile in her own voice.

"Like we would actually work." Maren replies. The sound of her typing breaks the spell Marina had been trapped in, and now that the cold has settled on her skin she can't seem to get comfortable again. Upon looking out the window, she offers to get some Chinese food now that the rain has stopped. Maren mumbles something incoherent, and Marina takes that as a request for fried rice since Maren practically lives off it.

When she leaves the dorm, she can't help but think she's leaving something behind.

* * *

[] [] []

* * *

"Are you Maren Elizabeth?"

"Yes, but it's just Maren."

The Indian man she saw before now wears a grim expression that is only ever displayed when telling someone that your loved one, despite all attempts to save them, has died. Maren's throat constricts out of fear and her lips are suddenly too cracked and dry.

"Your friend has fallen into a coma. We aren't sure when she will wake up."

"But she can at any time, right?" Maren doesn't know if she's trying to convince him or herself, but she has been here for two days straight living on hospital food, and she'll be damned if she's leaving this place without Marina by her side.

"Yes, but the chances of her waking up are slim. She is stable, but the injuries to her brain are what worry us…" She tunes him out not by choice, but in the end she comes to find it a relief as she looks at Marina's face - so disgustingly pure now - as if she were more than a friend once.

And, with the silence of a falling feather, her heart begins to break.

* * *

[] [] []

* * *

As it turns out, the brief pause in the rain was a trick because the second Marina steps outside the rain comes pouring down, but the persistent growling of her stomach is too strong to ignore so she cannot go back inside where the only food they have is weeks old. So she pulls her coat above her head in an attempt to protect her hair from the rain, but after a few minutes of walking it stops suddenly and she soon realizes the source is an umbrella over her head.

A man about the same age as her holds the navy umbrella, and the smile on his face says more than any words he could possibly say. He's familiar but she cannot quite place him.

"The rain get you by surprise?" He asks, laughter clear in his voice. She finds herself smiling.

"Yeah." She feels suddenly shy around him as if all those years with Maren have suddenly ceased to exist, and she soon realizes the green of his eyes is the most beautiful shade she has ever seen. "Do you go to school here? You seem familiar."

He nods. "I don't think I've seen you before though. Now I can see why. You belong to royalty." His grin is contagious and her cheeks heat up with his comment. She has never met someone like him before, and after hearing Stanley's comments all the time she can't say the change is unwelcome. "What's your name?"

"Marina." They are walking now, their feet going in no specific direction. "Yours?"

"Naveen."

She cannot think of what to say next, so a silence falls between them as the pair walks towards a destination that neither had originally intended. The rain shows no plans to stop soon, so they remain close beneath the small relief the umbrella gives them from the downpour. She hasn't asked why he had decided to walk with her in the rain, so she decides to do so as they near the football field which now is empty. "So you wouldn't try to steal my umbrella." His answer is nothing less than what she would have expected.

* * *

If the lack of Chinese food in Marina's arms and wide grin on her face are an indication to anything, Maren either doesn't notice or decides not to pry because she says nothing when Marina returns.

* * *

Three weeks.

That's how long it takes for Marina to meet Naveen again, and like their first encounter it is an accident. Marina had been on her way to her Anatomy class, books spilling out of her hands, when she bumped into him so everything fell onto the floor. After a couple dozen spewed apologies, she realized just who she ran into.

"Oh! Hi, Naveen!" Her face turns a slight shade of red as a shy smile grows on her lips. "I didn't see you there."

"Marina." Naveen greets, bending on one knee to kiss her hand. Her eyes widen and she tries to imagine that no one's watching them because this is ridiculously embarrassing. Cute, but embarrassing. He looks down at the books which she holds tightly in her arms for fear of dropping them again. "You take Anatomy?"

"Um, yes! I want to get into the medical field. You know, saving lives and all that. It would be tremendously rewarding." She finds that her sentences spill out of her mouth, anxious to be heard because this is the first time anyone has shown any kind of interest in her career apart from her friends. From the way Naveen nods from time to time, the smile growing on his face, she can tell he finds it just as interesting as she does. "What's your major?" she asks.

He shrugs. "I haven't thought about it too much. I'm just here because my parents want me to be financially stable." He smiles apologetically but she doesn't understand why he'd be apologizing. She knows a lot of people on campus who aren't sure of their careers yet.

"I'm sure it'll come to you — Damn, I'm late! Sorry, I have to go! I'll see you around, maybe?" She tries not to sound too hopeful at the prospect of meeting him again, but he looks amused so she decides maybe it isn't such a bad thing.

"I'm in dorm 146 if you want to come talk. See you around, my liege." He winks and her face turns a brilliant shade of red, and even when she tries to stifle her smile it keeps reappearing on her face long after he leaves.

* * *

"Who is it?"

Maren's voice is just slightly amused as Marina steps inside her dorm, flopping on her bed and tossing her Anatomy notes unceremoniously onto the floor. If she has to diagram the heart one more time she's going to freak. She swears she could label it in her sleep if she had to.

"Naveen —" Before Marina can finish, Maren spins in her chair to face her, an expression of amazement on her face.

"The same Naveen who's captain of the chess team?" Maren is practically beaming with pride; Marina raises her eyebrows but a smile still appears on her face.

"I didn't know he was captain of the chess team, but yeah, him. Why?" Marina stands up and starts organizing her Anatomy notes since she knows she'll regret throwing them on the floor later. She notices the room has a distinct lemon smell and makes a note to remind Maren they need a new cleaning solution because she's growing nauseous smelling this one all the time.

"Now that I know he's _Naveen_, I fully support you with whatever you decide to do." Maren says it in a way that Marina knows she isn't serious because no matter what Maren would support her (unless she became a drug dealer or something, but Marina thinks if she was at that point even Maren wouldn't bother).

"Thanks, Maren." She puts her notes into her spare binder which she places on her nightstand. After she pulls out her planner and determines that for once she's actually done her homework on time, she suggests a movie which Maren heartily agrees to, and the day slips away as quickly as it had appeared.

* * *

Before she can lose her courage, the next Friday Marina's feet lead her to Naveen's dorm at noon. With the crumpled sticky note with his room number in her hand, she feels like she's invading on his personal space even though he told her she was welcome if she wanted to talk. The air is pleasantly warm here and she smells the faint scent of cinnamon that reminds her of the times when she and Ella would bake cookies at Christmas.

She knocks once, twice, three times, and after a few moments of waiting the door opens to reveal Naveen who looks too handsome to be alive in this very moment. She feels her face heat up as she smiles brightly. "Hi, it's Marina." It is only after the words leave her mouth that she realizes he knows who she is so she doesn't have to say it again.

"Hello, Marina." He steps outside and closes the door just as a few more people step outside into the hallway, reluctant to start their days of work but having no other choice. It dawns on her then that he's does this just so she feels more comfortable, and she feels a rush of affection towards him. "Have you been to the coffee shop on campus? We could go there if you'd like." As they walk down the hall, past the people, she has the sudden realization he has a pleasant sounding voice.

"I'd love to." The grin he gives her makes her smile in return, and she has to resist the impulse to lace their hands together as they walk.

* * *

Unlike her first visit to the coffee shop, it is quiet and serene. She finds a table by the window while Naveen buys them drinks and finds herself fiddling with the napkin because she is unsure where to place her hands. When he comes back with her drink, she thanks him and he slides into the seat across from her. "So," Marina begins as she stirs her drink with a spoon, "you never told me you were a part of the chess team, much less the captain."

"Impressed?" Naveen grins and she can't help but mirror his giddiness. She hopes that she will never lose his friendship even if they never progress as more than friends.

"Almost…" And so they talk, their laughter becoming more frequent and their eyes reflecting the same brilliance of stars, and it is only when they're kicked out of the coffee shop that they go back to their respective dorms, each of them resigning themselves to the embrace of sleep so a new dawn may grace their presence.

* * *

[] [] []

* * *

The wilting lilies at the bedside of the young woman eternally sleeping in the hospital bed cast an eerie expression for the brightly lit room. The room is silent save for the tapping of tree branches on the window as the breeze begins to pick up and the noise of machines. Marina's light brown skin remains the same hue it was when she first fell into this state nearly three months ago. A lone chair sits beside her bed, looking empty with the absence of a human sitting in it.

The sound of a dull squeak breaks the rhythmic lull of machines, and footsteps bring an olive skinned woman to the empty chair where she sits in silence. Her black hair is tied back while her gray eyes, once cold and unmoving, relax and take on a somber expression. Her lips part and she speaks.

"Adelina passed away. Heartbreak did it, at least that's what Ella says."

Maren takes a deep breath and closes her eyes as if to think about what to say next. From the way she sits in this chair naturally she has been in this room too many times before. "Please wake up." Any words she might have had to say die in her throat, and she opens her eyes to look at the woman's face which looks so tragically beautiful.


End file.
